Warwickshire News Mine

The new Abbey Children’s Centre extension, at Hatters Space in Nuneaton, will offer extra services to local families and young children to provide a hub of learning, advice and activities.  The services include ‘Stay and Play’ drop-in sessions for parents, carers and children; antenatal and parenting support, high quality early years provision, information and advice for parents and support for childminders. The Children’s Centre will also offer advice about benefits, tax credits and links to employment opportunities with Jobcentre Plus.

The children’s centre has worked in partnership with Warwickshire County Council’s Children, Young People and Families Directorate, and national childcare charity Spurgeons who are managing the centre. The centre is the result of a government initiative to develop children’s centres in every locality.
To celebrate the opening, local families have been invited to a community Fun Day which begins at 10am on the school field at Abbey Infant School. There will be a host of family entertainment including a bouncy castle, Mr Odd Socks the clown, circus skills, children’s crafts, belly dancing, face painting and henna art. There will be displays and an opportunity to meet with the police, Fire Service, Job Centre Plus, Learn Direct, Children’s Information Service and others. Families will also get the chance to have their say and help shape the services on offer at the children’s centre.

At 12.45pm everyone is invited to join a Fancy Dress Parade to Abbey Children’s Centre for the official opening.  A local family, Cllr John Burton (Cabinet Member for Schools) and the Deputy Mayor Elect John Preedy will open the centre by cutting the ribbon at 1pm. Children from Abbey Infants will then conclude the celebrations with a song.

Sheila Ajmati of AbbeyChildren’s Centre said: “Abbey Children’s Centre and Abbey Fields Nursery really are ‘at the heart of the community’ and this is a wonderful addition to what is already available in Nuneaton. Children’s early years are most important in terms of their overall development, wellbeing and future economic success and the local community and families are now well served by the opportunities and facilities on offer.”

Cllr John Burton, Warwickshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Schools, said: ”Families in Nuneaton will benefit greatly from these new facilities. The new base at Hatters Space is part of a countywide programme that will see children’s centres delivering improved and wider services to communities across Warwickshire.”

Link to WCC